


A Love That There's No Cure For

by songbvrd



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: A fluffy christmas fic, Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas, First Kiss, Future Fic, Idiots in Love, Liam Dunbar POV, M/M, they're both stupid but we love them anyway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-30
Updated: 2020-12-30
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:40:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,370
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28430286
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/songbvrd/pseuds/songbvrd
Summary: Theo gets taken by a djinn and Liam has to go inside his poison-fuelled fantasy world.OR: Liam finds out on Christmas that Theo's deepest wish is for them to be happy together.
Relationships: Liam Dunbar/Theo Raeken
Comments: 10
Kudos: 108





	A Love That There's No Cure For

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so! I just did a djinn fic for Supernatural and I was inspired to do one for Thiam also! The outcome is very different, but I'm actually quite happy with how this came out in the end!
> 
> I hope you enjoy, and as always, please feel free to leave any/all feedback!

“This is stupid,” Liam snapped, staring down at Scott’s face on his phone in frustration. “I’m not an alpha, and it won’t work anyway.” 

“You’re sort of an Alpha. You’re his Alpha, at least.” Liam groaned, because of course Scott would make Liam feel even worse about this than he already did.

“I’m not his Alpha. I’m…” He trailed off.

“His Alpha. Liam, I’ve been gone for years. You’ve been living with him for like, four years now. You went to college together. The four of you are a pack, and you are their Alpha.”

“There’s got to be a better way.” Liam grumbled.

“I’m telling you. I’ve spoken to Deaton, I’ve spoken to Argent, I’ve spoken to anyone who might know better. When a djinn has poisoned a person like this, you’ve got two options. Hope they realise and off themselves in the dream, or go in after them. Not everyone can, but you can, Liam.”

“What if he doesn’t want me in there?”

Scott gave Liam a face that asked how Liam could still be so stupid at nearly twenty-one years old— and Liam wanted to be more offended than he had any right to be. He was an idiot and he knew it, but going inside Theo’s head? Seeing his dream life? The idea made him feel sick.

He had no right, for starters. Theo was so private, and Liam had no idea what it would be. If he had to take a guess, and he didn’t want to, he suspected Tara would still be alive and Theo would’ve never met the dread doctors. 

It had been a long time since Liam and Theo were anything resembling enemies. After things quieted down and the older members of the pack left, things had sort of shifted. Liam had been alone with some of the others who knew now. Mason, Corey, Nolan, Theo, Alec… He had his own little pack, measured in no small part by how hard he tried to help different people, but he wasn’t an Alpha. Not really, and try though he might, he wasn’t just going to become one. 

Theo and Liam had come together in sort of a weird way. At first, Liam called Theo when he needed him, when something was going wrong. Theo never let on that that bothered him; he would just roll his eyes, ask what Liam had messed up this time and get to helping them, then he would disappear again until next time. It actually wasn’t until Stilinski mentioned to Liam that Theo was living in his car that he ever found out about that.

He didn’t know how to fix it-- it wasn’t like he was the best in these situations. But he was near the end of school, had to try for college soon, and he tried just casually floating it past Theo that he would need a roommate. He didn’t want to call him out, figuring if Theo wanted him to know, he probably would’ve told him himself, but he also didn’t feel right leaving things like that. Theo had no one and nothing, and Liam just called him whenever he wanted to take something.

It was truly an unintentional act of selfishness, but it was selfish nonetheless. Theo needed more, clearly. The pack survives. (Theo would likely have mocked him for quoting Game of Thrones, were he not currently being poisoned by a djinn).

So Liam and Theo had decided to go to the same college, which they had mercifully gotten into, and they’d rented an apartment alone at first, but when rent was high and pay was low, they wound up moving in with Mason and Corey too.

For a while, things were... awkward. Liam and Theo were often awkwardly paired because the others were a couple. When they weren’t, Liam knew Theo felt like the odd man out with the other three, being as close as they were.

But time moved on, and Theo’s personality began to come out. The real one. Not the power hungry, manipulative teenager he’d been cut and moulded into, but the clever and charming man he’d become.

He was funny. A dry humour, but a funny one. Once you got used to it, and used to his way of joking, he sort of gained a reputation amongst them as being funny.

He was smart. Like, really smart. Do the entire essay the day it’s due and get full marks smart. Try half as hard and get double the mark Liam got kind of smart.

He was a fantastic cook, and had wound up not only teaching the other three, but taking on all their cooking duties.

Really, Theo had become a part of their family. It was slow going, and at times very tense, but without any of them consciously choosing it, it had happened. On movie nights, they never started till Theo got home from his late shift. Come Christmas time, Theo was never left alone, but brought back with them to wherever they happened to be going. When older members of the pack disapproved of him or their friendship, not just Liam, but all three of them could come to his defence.

Corey and Mason weren’t there when Liam and Theo had gone after the djinn. But people were going missing and they knew the signs. A strong beta and a strong chimera— they could handle it alone. Corey and Mason were more behind the scenes help regardless.

It had been going fine right up till Theo had separated from him and Liam had lost him for a few hours. When he’d located him again, it was obvious he’d been poisoned. Liam knew enough how it worked, what he didn’t know was how to wake someone who wasn’t waking on their own.  
He had no idea what to expect of trying to get him back. But he’d asked anyone he knew who was good with this and gotten the same answer. He needed to get inside his head. Claws in his neck. Except, Liam wasn’t an Alpha and this wasn’t how the stupid claw thing worked anyway. He wouldn’t be inside Theo’s poison fantasy or whatever, would he?

People kept telling him this worked differently. That the poison made it work differently. Liam had been trying to talk Scott into driving to see them and doing it, but Scott kept insisting it had to be Liam.

“Scott, I’m not an Alpha. What if it hurts him? Or kills him?”

Scott sighed, and his tone softened somewhat, “Liam... he’s been poisoned. He’s already dying. This is your only shot at changing that outcome.”

“You could do it. You’re an actual Alpha. You’re the Alpha of the McCall pack, which we’re all in.” Liam argued.

“In the nicest possible way, you haven’t really been in my pack in years. We handle things in our area and you handle things in yours. You’re family, obviously, and I love you like my own kid. But you’re your own Alpha now, with your own pack. Theo was never my beta. He’s yours.”

Liam groaned loudly, but when he heard a key in the lock of their apartment door, he sighed. "Corey and Mason are back. I should probably be around to explain to them what's going on with Theo before they... y'know, freak out or whatever."

"So I assume you guys aren't going to be home for New Years then?" Scott asked and Liam sighed.

"I don't know, depends whether or not one of my best friends dies today, I guess." He answered sarcastically. "Bye, Scott. Thanks. Love you."

He didn't wait for Scott to answer, simply hanging up so that he could speak to Corey and Mason and explain to them. He was still freaking out about it all, still terrified he was going to hurt Theo worse, that he was going to fuck this up in some way, and then how would he ever forgive himself.

"What the fuck?" He heard Corey before he saw either of them, which means they had instantly seen Theo. Liam had put him down on their lounge, and it was clear something was wrong, based on how pale and sick he looked. Of course they would be concerned, but at least Liam could ask the people he trusted most if they agreed with what Scott said. If they would... sign off on this ridiculous thing he was doing.

"Okay, let me explain." Liam said instantly, reciting the whole story from start to finish. How he'd lost Theo, how he'd found him, how he'd carried him back here, hoping he wasn't going to get arrested for murder or kidnapping or something. How he'd been speaking to Scott since, and how everyone had said the same thing. How terrified he was that he would somehow make it worse, that Theo might still wake up on his own.

"Why haven't you done it already?" Mason asked. "I get you're scared but if it's literally the only option..."

Liam frowned, "I only just got off the phone to Scott and I... still don't know if I should." They both frowned at him, so Liam went on, "He's so private and I could hurt him worse and--"

"I suspect he'd rather give up his privacy than literally die." Mason answered, brows furrowed.  
Liam frowned, but nodded, "Okay, yeah, fine. I'll-- I'll do it." He glanced back at Theo, still unconscious and sprawled behind him on the couch. He looked ill, and while Liam knew they probably still had 24 hours or so, he didn't want to leave it any longer than he had to.

They got Theo sitting upright so that Liam had a better shot, and Liam felt absolutely terrified. He didn't know how he would live with himself if this didn't work, if he was single handedly responsible for killing someone he cared deeply about. He should've saved Theo in the first instance, shouldn't have let him get taken. But now... Now this would be his fault too, and he couldn't handle that. As it was, the idea of being inside his dream was already terrifying, but being responsible for him dying?

Liam would never recover.

Still, they were right. He had to try.

He was sitting beside Theo, about to sink his claws into Theo's neck, when Mason moved to sit beside him. "Hey, Li."

He glanced up. Corey had gone off to get some things. Blankets and water, just in case, leaving the two of them alone. Well, sort of, but Theo wasn't listening.

Liam's brows furrowed, confused. "Hey... Mase. What's up?"

"If you go there, and he's with some random person, that doesn't mean he doesn't feel the same way about you." Mason said quietly, under his breath.

Liam blanched, confused. "Why-- why would you say that? What do you mean?"

"It's me, Liam. I've known you since infancy. I see... the way you two are. And I'm pretty positive he feels the exact same way. So just... focus on saving him and don't spiral about whatever you see." Liam just stared at Mason, confused. Mason was right, because he was Mason, but that wasn't why Liam was scared to go in there. He was more scared of seeing a world where Theo was happy and dragging him back to this one, where he'd suffered so much and had so much he regretted. Liam knew he had made mistakes, obviously, but he also saw him more for who he was now. An angry, mistreated kid, who had been manipulated and sculpted by bad people. Who, when forced to face the bad he'd done, had changed so completely. Who had lied about not saving Liam, even though he had done it time and time again.

"That's not what I'm afraid of." Liam defended, awkwardly.

"I know. I know you're afraid of other things, but I just... know how you are. And I just wanted to say... y'know, you guys are... you're Liam and Theo. You're a package deal. And if anyone can bring him back, you can."

Liam nodded once, before letting his eyes open yellow, letting his breathing clear, his mind focus, and pushing his claws into the back of Theo's neck.

He tipped his head back, and a moment later, he was in a totally different place.

It felt real, but he knew it wasn't. Still, he looked around, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Where he was. He didn't recognise the street at all, nor any of the kids running around, which was already a clue. It was different than where they lived now, so Liam was right to assume it would be a totally different life for him.

It was a quiet, normal looking neighbourhood. Idyllic, really. Not Beacon Hills, Liam didn’t think, or at least not the Beacon Hills he grew up in. For starters, no one was screaming, fighting or going missing, which was basically how it was characterised in his mind. But Liam also hadn’t grown up wealthy, and these were nice, modern looking houses. Not his end of town.

Was this what Theo wanted? Just sheer... normalcy?

Though, he was yet to find Theo thus far, and he knew so little about his childhood that for all he knew, this street actually was a part of Theo’s life. It was entirely possible there were parts of Beacon Hills he didn’t recognise, small as the town was.

He walked for a bit, looking around for any sign of something that’d point him to Theo, knowing well enough how the poison worked. Time was different. What felt like 24 hours on the outside felt like 80 years inside. By this world’s timeline, he had time. He just needed to convince Theo.

It took him a bit of walking to find the sign he needed. Theo’s truck. No more bullet holes, no more duct tape, the thing was in perfect condition. More like it had been before Monroe. Liam wondered idly how much attention he’d been paying back then, but brushed it off. Maybe this Theo never had a Supernatural v human smackdown.

It made Liam wish he could leave Theo in a happier place, but not at the cost of him dying— of him having a real life.

He walked towards the house the truck was parked in front of, half expecting to find Theo's family inside, fully alive. Instead, he watched as a dog came sprinting out the front door. Liam ducked behind the truck, afraid of who might follow the dog out, and whether or not they would recognise him.

The person who followed him out was absolutely Theo, right down to the plated bracelet on his left wrist and the posture with which he ran after the dog. Liam would recognise him anywhere, regardless of how different he looked. And honestly... he looked different. His hair was a little longer, and a bit lighter (from sun, maybe?). It curled a little at the ends, and he had more stubble than Liam was used to ever seeing on him. He wore jeans and a proper button down. Dress shoes. He looked like an adult.

Not the twenty-two year that Liam lived with and went to college with, but a proper adult.  
He had to be pushing thirty, and the house was almost certainly his.

The dog was too, judging by the way when Theo called out to it, it turned on heel and ran back towards him, jumped into his arms. Theo caught it, and he stood in the well groomed front yard, dog in hand, laughing unreservedly as the dog licked his face.

Liam could cry. Or punch something, maybe. Theo was his anchor, and even standing barely a few metres from him, unaware he was there, that helped. But Liam was angry because he absolutely couldn't fix this. Because this was who Theo should be. Happy, unreserved, normal. He didn't ask many questions about what Theo had gone through with the Dread Doctors, because it seemed cruel to, and because he hadn't ever thought Theo would answer.

But whatever it was, it was increasingly clear how badly it had affected him. It was Theo, without question. But... this version of Theo seemed... lighter.

It pained Liam not to be able to give him that.

But if he knew Theo, and he was pretty sure he did, this would mean he still had a family. Still had parents. Probably had a fiancé or a husband inside that house too. Kids, even, maybe. He wasn't sure Theo would ever have kids in his reality, but in one where he didn't see himself as a monster... maybe.

He moved closer towards the house as Theo carried the dog back inside, muttering something to it about how he didn't want to lose it. The whole thing made Liam's chest ache. He wasn't sure he'd ever seen Theo so vulnerable, and he felt like he shouldn't be here for it. Matter of fact, he could smell it. A regular, normal heartbeat. No anxiety, no guilt, no dread. Just Theo.

How the hell was he supposed to go inside, pull Theo out of his dream life and force him to go back to their shit-show life? The reality that the four of them, most of the time, really only had each other? The reality that even with all four of them, they barely made their rent, that they often ate two minute noodles when it got close to pay day? The world in which they were constantly battling things, getting hurt, nearly dying? How did he look Theo in the eyes and tell him to return to a world where Theo carried so much guilt around constantly?

How did he tell Theo to go back to struggling and fighting and a truck with bullet holes covering it?

Swallowing down the emotion that was building (Liam had never been good at telling sad from angry), he moved towards the window of the house, peering in. He couldn't see Theo immediately, which was a good sign, maybe Liam could find a way to sneak in. He had no idea if this version of Theo knew him at all. He had to assume not, if everything had changed, but he couldn't account for how Theo had made it make sense in his own mind.

What he could see was a big Christmas tree, a dog bed and a cat scratching tower.

Ignoring the ache further, Liam crept into the house, fairly certain that at the very least, Theo here wasn't supernatural. He might've sensed Liam if he was -- and he hadn't.

No one immediately noticed him, neither the dog dozing on the couch by the Christmas tree, nor the cat lazily twisted on the kitchen bench. Of course Theo was soft enough to let his animals lay all over everything. Honestly, Liam felt something in his chest soften, and he had to remind himself that he wasn't doing Theo any good by sitting around mooning over this version of him. He did enough of that at home anyway, and he wouldn't forgive himself if he couldn't save Theo.

He heard Theo's voice, and crouched down, careful not to be in view, but also focusing on his werewolf senses in order to hear the exact words.

"No, no. I know work's busy, bub, but you have to be home. They're not going to like it if one of us is missing. Besides, Tara's coming over later and you promised you'd be here. Come on, tell them-- you can miss one practice!" Theo sighed and cut off, "Don't make me pull the Bahamas card on you, because I will." Theo didn't actually sound angry. He sounded mad in the fond way he sometimes was when Liam used the last of the milk and forgot to tell anyone. "Absolutely not." A breath, "You're cute, but you're not that cute." A pause, and then a laugh. "I swear to god, I will come drag your ass back here and embarrass you in front of all of them. You know I could."

Liam's chest ached, and he could feel his own breathing rising. He was trying so hard not to think about it. Mason had been right to warn him, maybe. Theo would very likely be with someone in this world. He'd have found a guy, he'd have settled down, he'd be happy with his family and his life. He clearly was. Liam could hear the love in his voice, the warmth. He could hear how happy Theo was and he desperately didn't want to wreck that, though he knew he essentially had absolutely no choice in this.

He told himself that Theo could find something like this back home. If not with him, then fine, but with someone. Maybe there was too much water under the bridge for them, but anyone would be crazy not to want Theo.

"You promise?" Theo said, and his voice took on a nervous quality. Vulnerable. Liam felt like he was listening in on something he definitely shouldn't be. "I'm serious, you have to promise, love. We've been waiting for this appointment for months and..." Another deep breath. "Other chances. Right. Okay." His voice was quieter, sadder. "I love you too. I just... I would love you a little more if you could--" A deep sigh, "Okay. Yeah, fine. Love you too. Have a good practice."

Liam didn’t know who his partner was, but he kinda wanted to punch the guy. It wasn’t that Liam hadn’t seen Theo with guys before. He had, they’d never lasted long, but he’d still seen it. And, frankly, he’d hated all of them on principle. But this guy was different, because Liam hadn’t even seen him yet, but he’d already heard the guy letting Theo down.

How could anyone ever? Theo was like, the most rude, snarky, hilarious person Liam had ever met. Sure, he could be a total asshole, but he was also fiercely loyal. He’d saved Liam’s life more times than he could count, and many of them had been before Liam and Theo were even friends. Anybody should know how lucky they were.

Liam tried sneaking around further, trying to get intel. Was anyone else in the house? How long were they likely to be alone? Would Theo recognise him? He looked for signs of Mason, Corey, Scott, Stiles, anyone. Anyone who might indicate that Theo would know who Liam was.

If Theo knew who Liam was, he almost certainly knew Liam to be a decade-ish older than he was now. And, alternate universe friend was one thing, but ten years younger? Yikes. That would be hard to explain to a human Theo.

There was a fireplace, and above it a line of twenty or more pictures. Liam made his way towards it slowly, trying to get a good look at the pictures. Theo was upstairs from what Liam had heard, which meant he should be fine to look for a moment as long as he was quiet.  
But then he heard the sound of something dropping and he knew instantly he’d miscalculated. Oh, Theo was upstairs, but he hadn’t realised the house had two staircases. What kind of house had two fucking staircases anyway?

“Who are you? I’ll call the cops!” He said quickly, and Liam thought how weird it was to hear him sound like a normal guy facing a burglar, rather than an inherently capable chimera with blood on his hands. He sounded nervous of Liam as an intruder, which was sort of hilarious, if not for the dire circumstances.

Liam raised his hands, his back to Theo still. “I can explain.” He said quickly, “I’m not a threat or anything and—“

He turned, but something bonked him directly on the head as he did. “Oof—“ He stumbled a bit, surprised. It was a candle. Theo had thrown a fucking candle at him.

“I— there’s more where that came from!” Theo yelled, seeming distinctly unthreatening, despite being as muscular as ever. Human Theo was fucking weird, if not a little cute.

“You’re going to throw more candles at me?” Liam snapped, rolling his eyes, finally managing to lock eyes with Theo. Theo’s posture changed instantly.

He looked Liam up and down in a way that made Liam’s skin itch, and seemed to evaluate him, to size him up. “Liam? How... Why do you look like such a baby face? Why aren’t you at work, you said...” He trailed off, eyes wide, clearly in shock.

Liam sighed, “Look, I know this is going to sound super weird, but I’m not your Liam. Not that I’m your Liam ever, but—“ God, what the fuck was he saying? Djinn poisoned human Theo didn’t need his useless dialogue about what they were to each other. “I’m... from a different... timeline.”

“You’re... what?” He asked, frowning. “If this is a prank, it isn’t funny.” He snapped, taking several steps towards Liam now, staring at him intensely, like he was trying to see inside Liam’s very soul.

“It’s not a...” He sighed, “If you know me at all, you’ll know I suck at pranks. Actually, you’re way better at them. So are both Mason and Corey. I chicken out and mess it up by being an awful liar.”

“So... did you leave work early or something?”

“I told you, dumbass, I’m from a different timeline.” Liam wasn’t handling this right. He wasn’t wording it right, but how was he meant to word it. This was the way Theo and he were with each other. They were snark and jokes. Liam wasn’t used to trying to break news to human Theo who wore soft looking cardigans and threw candles.

Theo recoiled a little. Then he closed the gap between them, a hand moving to Liam’s outfit, fixing the off centre tilt of his henley. “Dumbass? That’s not a very nice thing to call your fiancé.”  
Liam’s brain completely short circuited. Was this karma? Did Theo think Liam was pranking him so now he was pranking Liam back?

“What?” Liam managed to get out, his throat feeling like sandpaper, something in his chest clenched tightly.

“What do you mean, what? Apparently I haven’t been paying enough attention to your face, because you really look like an eighteen year old right now. And cute as you were as an eighteen year old, I’m not sure that's going to help with our agency interview this afternoon.”

Liam frowned, “Are you just... ignoring what I’m saying to you? Theo, I am not a... thirty year old Liam. I’m twenty. I’m from another timeline.”

Theo snorted at him, like he was being ridiculous. “Yeah, okay. I know you’re not thirty, you’re twenty-seven and I’m a cradle snatcher.” He joked, “New haircut and a close shave, right? That’s why you look so young?”

Liam was losing his mind. How the hell was he going to make Theo listen to anything he was saying? The man just thought he was joking. “You were on the phone to... older me before, right? He told you he couldn’t come home in time. Call him. I bet he’s still at work.”

Theo sighed, rolled his eyes and shook his head. “Fine.” He pulled out his phone and dialled. A moment later, he stuttered out. “Oh, hi, bub...” He trailed off, listening to other Liam talk. “Yeah... Yeah, sorry. It’s all good, I... I had a question but I forgot.” He frowned, “Okay. Okay, yeah, I’ll see you later.”

He hung up the phone and stared, pale faced, at Liam. “What... the fuck...?”

Liam frowned, nodding, “I know.”

Liam just about jumped out of his skin when Theo suddenly grabbed him by the face, staring intently at him. He looked older, for sure, but he was still Theo. The same piercing, incisive green eyes staring straight through his defences. The same pinched brows. His nose scrunched the way it always did. Adorable, Liam thought, but annoying right now.  
Theo pulled on his cheeks, pinching them, staring at him.

“You’re so...”

Liam sighed, waiting. What was he so? Oily? Small? Annoying?

“Cute.” Theo settled on. “I don’t remember you looking so young. But I guess I was young then too.”

Liam blinked, eyes fluttering, confused and a little shy suddenly, “Oh. Uh... Thanks. Um. Listen, I’m not here by accident, I need to talk to you about something that happened in my world and—“

“Oh, yeah, no. I’m definitely having a nervous breakdown. It’s cool to see young you in that though. You’re very sweet. You don’t look as sleep deprived.” Theo told him casually.

Okay, so... there was absolutely no way that could be true. Liam barely ever slept for the nightmares even now. Maybe older him just couldn’t hide it as well.

“No, I’m really here. You’re not having a meltdown. I am a real Liam. Ask me something and I’ll give you a Liam answer. Come on.”

“I mean... I’ve been in love with you since I was like, seventeen, I could easily invent something you’d say if I was having a meltdown.”

“You’ve... I’m sorry, you’ve what now?” For all of Liam’s panic about saving Theo, none of it had really sunk in yet. This was Theo’s dream. This was Theo’s fantasy. This was the perfect world his Djinn poisoning had created for him. And he was engaged to Liam. He had been in love with Liam since he was seventeen. Did that mean... it wasn’t possible, right? No. Theo had just added Liam to his fantasy because they were close, it couldn’t mean... Liam turned back to the frames, looking at them. Liam and Theo at some high school dance, arms around each other. They both wore mismatched flowers on their lapels, so they probably weren’t each others’ date, but they were sure all over each other anyway. Best friends, maybe. Liam and Theo at their graduation, both wearing a cap and gown. Theo was carrying Liam in his arms, bridal style, and they were both grinning hugely. The two of them in Santa Hats, maybe around the age Liam was now. Not much had changed, except in this photo, Liam smiled at the camera, but Theo smiled at him. Them, mid twenties maybe, wearing suits and grinning. A picture of Liam, down on one knee in the sand, ring in hand. A picture of the two of them standing in front of a sold sign. Liam looked older there. His hair was longer and shaggier. He had a bit of stubble happening, and had filled out more. He was noticeably older than Liam was in front of this Theo, so he wasn’t surprised Theo had noticed. They were a couple. Undoubtedly. Undisputedly. Liam didn’t understand.

Theo watched Liam, confused. “I’m basically talking to a fantasy at this point, but... Why are you so shocked? Are you... not with me in your world?”

“No.” Liam finally answered. “No, I... don’t think my Theo likes me like that.” He admitted, picking up one of the frames, the graduation picture, and examining it more closely.

Older Theo let out a little laugh. “Sorry to tell you this, dude, but I find it hard to imagine there’s any version of me that doesn’t love you.”

“Yeah, well... I’m pretty sure mine doesn’t.” Liam said swiftly, because if this conversation kept on, he’d wind up crying.

Theo half smiled. “You know, my version of you didn’t believe me at first either.” He told him. Liam glanced up, trying to blink the glass out of his eyes. “I, uh, actually did this whole big, dumb romantic gesture. Do you, uh, remember Scream 2? I know my version of you loves it, but...”

Liam nodded, genuinely confused about where this story could possibly be going.

“Well, there’s that scene where Sid’s boyfriend jumps on the table and he sings, y’know,” Theo paused, only half committing to it when he sung the song, “I think I love you, so what am I so afraid of, I’m afraid that I’m not sure of, a love that there’s no cure for...” Liam listened, watching this weird, alternate, older Theo be more open and casual in his vulnerability than his Theo ever had been. He nodded, “Well, I... got up on a lunch table in our college dorm’s common room and did it. In front of like, at least a hundred people. I didn’t know you could get so red.” He smiled fondly, “You believed me after that though. Stopped telling me I was just projecting onto you because I was lonely.”

“You... you jumped on a table and serenaded me with a scene out of a slasher sequel?” Liam asked, stunned.

If he’d thought it was a lot to process before, this was a whole other thing. A world in which Theo was bold enough, outgoing enough to do something so out there. So brave and funny and... quintessentially Theo, but in the best way. Liam wished his Theo was that free. That was not even starting on all the other things he wished were true of his Theo.

“Yeah.” Theo smiled fondly. “I propositioned you so many times. I even walked into your room wearing only your lacrosse jersey once. But you always told me no. You always told me... I’d regret it.”

Liam’s heart jumped. He swallowed. “In... in just my lacrosse jersey? And I said no?” He asked skeptically, finding the whole thing difficult to believe.

“Oh, yeah. You were a stubborn fuck about it. I tried so much shit and you kept turning me down. I don’t really know why I kept trying so hard except that you never actually said you didn’t want me. You just always said... I would get over you and it’d ruin the friendship.”

“How... how long did that go on?” Liam asked slowly.

Theo shrugged, “Like, over a year. I did all kinds of weird stuff. I think Corey nearly kicked me out at one point, except no one else could cook.”

This couldn’t be real. It couldn’t be real. It had to be Theo using Liam to fill a gap because they were so close. There was no way his Theo, with all his guilt and closed offness and snark loved him like this. He’d sure as hell never done anything like that stuff.

The only thing Liam couldn’t shake from his mind, couldn’t dislodge, was one memory. Liam had forced Theo to watch Scream with him. Barely a month ago.

Liam shrugged, “If it makes you feel any better, I can’t imagine a world where I’d turn you down. Especially wearing only my lacrosse jersey.”

Theo half smiled, “It does, actually.”

Liam cleared his throat. His mind was reeling, his chest ached and he was a little bit turned on because of that story, but he had to stay focused. He had to save Theo. Get him out of here.  
“You’re, uh, you’re just a human, right?”

It was Theo’s turn to look wildly confused. “Um... yes. What the fuck does that mean? What are you?”

“I can show you. But if I show you, you have to promise not to punch me in the face. Or... throw another candle at me.”

Theo just nodded, looking concerned, and Liam closed his eyes for a moment before opening them up again, he could feel the familiar glow, the change in vision, the feeling of strength and power.

Theo took several steps back, clearly deeply confused and afraid, before tripping over his cat and landing directly on his butt.

“Oh, shit.” Liam mumbled, rushing forward to help him up.

“What the fuck are you?” Theo mumbled, taking his hand, but seeming terrified. Liam wondered why he wasn’t running.

“I’m a werewolf. And so are you. You just... don’t remember. You and me, we’re partners. Like, fighting partners. We found out there was a djinn killing people and we went after it. You... you got caught. Djinns... they create someone’s perfect fantasy, so they won’t fight back against having their life force drained. But you, uh... you need to fight back or you’re going to die.”

“This is a joke, right?” He asked, his eyes wide, visibly freaked out. “You’re messing with me?”

“How... would I be messing with you?” Liam asked, blinking. “You... saw the shift. My eyes. Fangs. Claws.” He paused, “I know how it sounds but please. I know you think you’re getting married and have a good life here, but... We need you out there.”

Theo stared at him, blankly, then glanced down at the watch on his wrist. Liam took notice— his Theo didn’t wear a watch. “I’ll tell you what. If you help me with something, I’ll listen to your insane story.”

Liam knew whatever it was wouldn’t matter if he believed him, but he nodded nonetheless. “Okay, what? Need to scare a shitty neighbour or something, what is it?”

“Not exactly. Liam and I, my Liam, are trying to adopt a child. Neither of us trust our genes particularly and...” He cleared his throat, “Liam was meant to be here, but he got held up at work. But since you are... also Liam...?”

Liam blinked, "You want me to... pretend to be your fiancé while the agency people come to help convince them you'd be good parents...?" he asked. It felt sort of disingenuous, when he knew he'd be asking Theo to leave all this straight after. But still, he didn't have it in him to say no. It seemed cruel, and the whole thing broke Liam's heart.

He didn't deserve this. If he wanted a normal life, he should have it. But leaving him here wouldn't make it true. It wouldn't save him from the real world, which was just him suffering and then dying young, without ever knowing that this fantasy wasn't... that far off. Things were missing, but he could at least have a chance at knowing Liam, the real Liam, loved him.

"Um... yeah, fine. But you need to tell me more about how you guys got together and shit, because I can't answer any questions about your life, which feels wrong, probably."

An hour later, Theo had filled Liam in and dressed him up to look like his own Liam. He didn't look a lot different, he was still mostly just Liam, but he looked more dressed up and Theo seemed happy with that. He had been filled in on everything he would need to know about how they got together and their relationships.

He still felt weird about the whole thing, but if it was going to save Theo's life, there was no question.

When there was a knock on the door, Theo jumped to his feet. "You ready for this?" He asked Liam, who just shrugged and nodded in response. He wasn't-- but he never would be, so they may as well get it over with before Liam forgot.

Theo let the woman in, and his excitement was palpable. Liam tried to match his energy, but he wound up just shooting Theo unapologetic heart eyes. How could he be expected not to?  
He'd never seen Theo even half this happy or excited.

He shook the lady’s hand and walked with Theo, letting him take the lead as he took the lady on a tour of “their” home. It was a good thirty minutes later before they were sitting down to have coffee and biscuits together, prepared for the interview.

Liam gave the answers he thought he should. He talked about how much he loved Theo, talked about how he’d known he loved him since they were teenagers and Theo grabbed his hand and smiled when he did. He wondered if this Theo felt like he was cheating on his Liam as much as Liam felt like he was cheating on his Theo.

He reminded himself that this was his Theo, just having poisoned delusions.

“So... Theo,” She glanced at him, “I see on your file you’ve had some medical issues. I know your life expectancy isn’t... I’m sorry to be indelicate,” She paused, “But is your partner ready to raise a child alone in the future, should the worst happen?”

Liam tried to restrain the shock, tried to restrain the panic. What the fuck? What the fuck was wrong with Theo’s life expectancy?

Still, he forced a smile and squeezed Theo’s hand tighter. “Of course I am. I went into this with my eyes open, and though I hope the worst never will happen, I will always be there for any child he and I have. Plus, we have a lot of very supportive family and friends who would be there for us.”

She seemed satisfied with the answer, and went on asking questions, Liam trying desperately to hold it together long enough to ask him what the fuck that meant?

Maybe he knew that on some level, theoretically, but he didn’t know. He didn’t realise. A Theo without Tara’s heart. Liam wondered if he’d even have lived this long if this really had happened, considering whatever it was had made its way into Theo’s dream world.

“And grandparents?” She asked. “I know Theo’s parents aren’t in the picture, but Liam? Your parents still are?”

He nodded, jumping back in. “My parents are around, yes. Great people. My stepdad is the sort of father I want to be.” At least he hoped his family remained the same. “They taught me that you don’t have to be a biological family to be real family.”

She nodded again, and smiled. She asked questions about them, about their relationship. Liam listened with a broken, busted heart as Theo described how he’d been in love with Liam since high school, how he’d stubbornly followed him around for years because he knew Liam was the only one.

Not his Theo. This wasn’t his Theo. He had no right to assume regular Theo wanted any of this. He had no right to ask that of him.

But it hurt. It hurt to hear.

“Liam was just always this little... firecracker. All energy and excitement. But he was so... good. He always listened to people. He’d give his worst enemy the shirt off his own back without hesitating. Ever since I knew him, I couldn’t ever imagine myself with anyone else. That’s how I knew. It’s also how I know, if the worst does happen, our children will never, ever be short of any love or happiness.”

That felt weirdly... incisive. Did human Liam have any enemies? Or was it in reference to Liam saving Theo’s life even after he tried to kill him? Maybe it was some part of real memory streaking through.

He wanted to believe that.

“And Liam? How did you know you loved Theo? When?” Liam knew why they were asking. Trying to get to know them, trying to make sure they weren’t faking, weren’t dodgy. Still, Liam found it hard to be so vulnerable. Theo would undoubtedly remember this if Liam could save him.

“It took me a little longer, I guess. I was in college with Theo when I realised. He, uh, he was around all the time, and he was always so smart. He used to help me with my assignments. And, uh, one day we were alone together studying and I just... I just looked at him and went... oh my god. I can’t imagine any future or any version of my life where I’m ever happy with anyone except him.” He cleared his throat, hating that he was getting emotional.

Theo glanced at him, smiled warmly, before he put an arm around Liam, pulling him tight at his side. “Don’t say all that now, save some romantic stuff for your vows.” He joked, but his voice shook a little.

Liam felt sick suddenly. He needed to get the hell out of here. He couldn’t sit around and do this. He couldn’t sit around and pretend. He just needed Theo to wake up. To get out of this place. He couldn’t lose the real Theo before he even got to tell him. The Theo who had likely never been loved before. Not like this, at least.

“I’m sorry, but if you’ll excuse me, I need to go to the bathroom. I’m sure my fiancé can look after you.” Liam said as genially as possible, rising to his feet and walking off down the hall.

When he found the bathroom (and how stupid that he had to look), he locked the door behind him and rested either hand on the sink, leaning over and taking deep, heavy breaths.

He felt overwhelmed. Incredibly, emotionally overwhelmed.

How the hell was he meant to be fine with all of this? Finding out things about Theo he never knew. Finding out that in this version of reality, in Theo’s mind, they were together?

What if Theo didn’t want this? How would Liam deal with that? How was he meant to snap Theo out of this? Tell him that, congratulations, in another world you tried to kill me and let your sister die?

There was no good way for this to end, and Liam felt desperately, crushingly guilty.

He splashed his face with cold water, and tried to think of how to phrase any of this. Of how to make a theo understand. Of how to make this even ten percent less awful.

Of course, there was no good way, or good time, to say any of it.

There was no good way to tell the love of your life, who believed you were theirs too, that it was all fake.

He took a minute, took a deep breath. Only one emotion at a time, he told himself. If Theo were here, his Theo, what would he say? Liam tried to imagine.

‘Don’t be stupid, Liam. Nostalgia and sensitivity won’t save his life. That’s what it’s always been about. Keeping people alive. So keep him alive.’

He would probably call him a dumbass or something too— but still. That helped.

Theo, his Theo, would call him a dumbass. He’d clap him on the shoulder and stalk off to his room, return hours later with some food he’d cooked at some time or other.

He thought about Theo. About the Theo who had lied to him and manipulated him and killed one of his best friends. The Theo that absolutely sucked. The Theo Liam had threatened to leave as bait. But that wasn’t his Theo either. His Theo was the in between. The one that existed post evil, pre full humanity. He wasn’t a full human in Liam’s world, and he would never, ever be perfect. He would always be sort of socially sloppy, a little manipulative, and his hands would always be bloody. But he was also the Theo who’d thrown him into that elevator. Who’d turned up right as Liam thought he was going to die and saved him. Again. The Theo he’d shared a room with. The Theo who cooked him dinner and breakfast often. The Theo who studied with him until four o’clock in the morning because he forgot. The Theo who accompanied him to work once because he was too tired and scared he’d fall asleep mid shift. This was his best friend Theo, and Liam needed to save his life. Even if it meant getting rid of innocent human Theo.

He was doing this for his Theo. He took a heavy breath, steeling himself, and left the bathroom. He just had to do whatever he had to do to save Theo’s life.

He returned to the table and found Theo chatting with the woman in front of him. They were both laughing, and Liam noted that Theo was charming in any reality. There was something about him. He always seemed like he was really listening to you. Really focused on you.

Liam wasn’t surprised the woman had taken to him so quickly.

“I was just telling Maisie about how you’re so great with kids.” Theo said as he beckoned Liam back.

Liam sat back down beside him, accepting the arm Theo draped around him with an easy smile. “Oh, well, thank you, babe. I don’t know how great I am, but I certainly love them.” This all was true— Liam did love kids. He had several little cousins that he spent much time with.

“He’s too modest,” Theo told the woman brightly, resting his head against Liam’s shoulder. “He’s even coached kids lacrosse and things like that. Fantastic.”

The conversation drew on, and Liam kept zoning out, running over every alternative in his mind. What Theo might say, how he might react. He was still scared. Too scared.

Liam perked back up and started paying attention properly again when the lady told them she had everything she needed, and that they’d hear back soon. She seemed happy with them, and had no criticism, so Theo seemed very hopeful and bright.

When she was gone and they had politely waved at the door, Liam turned back to Theo. “Okay. You gotta hear me out now.”

Theo frowned, but nodded. “Okay. Okay, yeah.”

“If you stay here, you’re going to die. My version of you is going to die. The real one. And— and it might feel real, but it’s not. You have people at home who need you. People who care about you.” His brows furrowed seriously.

“What do you mean if I stay here? What’ll happen to me?”

“Nothing will. If you die here, you’ll wake up again safe and sound in our apartment. Corey’s waiting with blankets and water. We’re all by your side. We’re meant to be going home for Christmas and New Years. You, me, Corey and Mason will drive back together. We do every year.”

“And my Liam?”

“Your Liam isn’t real. I’m the actual Liam. I’m your Liam. You just... don’t remember.”

“My Liam is real. My Liam is my fiancé.” He argued, picking up his phone and then switching it on, showing a picture of the two of them, seemingly wearing oodies, Theo hugging over Liam’s shoulder, both of them grinning.

“I’m sorry, Theo, but no. He’s not. I’m Liam. And I... I can tell you the story, but you’re not going to like it.” He said slowly.

Theo blinked, nodded slowly. “Okay... Okay, yeah. I don’t... believe you, but okay.”

“So... I’m a werewolf. But... you are too. Or... sort of. You’re a chimera. You were... created. When you were nine, a group of doctors got to you. They... convinced you to let your sister die and they replaced your heart with hers. They turned you into... they twisted you into a monster. You— you nearly killed me. You tried to kill me. My whole pack, but... I was a big part of it. You got sent to hell and... when you came back, you... I don’t know. Changed. You started looking out for me, saving my life. You protected me. After we finished high school, we moved in together. We’ve lived together for four years. We’re best friends. You’re a good person and you changed but... Theo, you got poisoned by a djinn. If you don’t remember, if you don’t come back with me, you’re going to die.”

“No.” Theo said softly, shaking his head, stepping away from Liam. His eyes were wide and he looked terrified, but Liam could see the glimmer of recognition.

“You— you’re an atheist. You drive the same truck but with bullet holes. You cook me extra crispy bacon every Sunday morning. We did a project together our first year of college and you said it was the closest you’d ever actually come to killing me.” Theo was shaking his head, looking upset and Liam stepped closer to him, staring him in the eyes. “You— you have underwear with a dragon on them. I bought them for you as a joke one Christmas and you kept unironically wearing them and showing them to me. I bought you new baking supplies for last Christmas because you’re a really good cook. You tell people your middle name is Franklin but it’s actually Frankfurt. You still have nightmares every few nights, even now. Sometimes you come to me when you do. Sometimes I make you hot chocolate.” Liam didn’t know when he’d started crying, but he suddenly realised he had to wipe cheeks off his face. “You have to remember, because you’re like... you’re my anchor and I just... I need you.”

Theo was frowning, shaking his head. “Why? Why would I go back there? Why wouldn’t I just stay here? With my Liam and my kids and my life? Why should I go back to that awful place?”

Liam frowned, his heart breaking as he tried to answer. He had no good answer. Liam’s life was better with Theo in it, but Theo’s life without him was better. “Because... because I am the real Liam, I’m your Liam, and I know you...” He sighed deeply, panic beginning to overwhelm him. “Because I will never, ever forgive myself if I can’t save you.”

Theo just kept shaking his head, “If you’re the real Liam then I nearly killed you. Then you’re not mine and I don’t deserve you and— and I’m a monster.”

“You’re not a monster.” Liam said quickly, “You’re not. You’re a kid who got kidnapped and manipulated and abused and turned into something he wasn’t. And when you got away from them, you changed. Everyone forgave you. Everyone understands and—“

“Everyone who’s alive.” Theo said slowly. “What about the people I killed?”

Liam reached for his hands. “Theo, please.” He said softly, “Please don’t. Please come with me.” He paused, swallowing hard, his voice shaking. “Please. I love you. And I know you have fake me in here, but— but I’m the real me and I love you. Please.”

“You... no,” Theo shook his head. “No, you can’t. Because I tried to kill you. I made you attack your Alpha. Don’t be a fucking dumbass, Dunbar, loving me is a stupid mistake.”

Liam went to argue back, but something clicked in his mind instead. “You’re... you remember.” It was a comment, not a question.

“Yeah, I remember.” Theo said slowly, eyes narrowing. “I remember all the shit I did. Tracy. Josh. Hayden and Corey. Tara.” He stared at the ground for a moment, but that vulnerability was gone, replaced by Theo’s angry and hard outward exterior. Replaced by the exterior of a boy who had been raised to be the perfect killer. The perfect evil. “I remember that I was going to kill you.”

“But you didn’t.” Liam countered quickly.

“Only because Scott stopped me. Only because of Kira’s sword.” He snapped.

“And the elevator? The zoo? All the times you saved my life for no goddamn reason? You were barely on their radar, Theo. You could’ve taken that truck anywhere. You had no reason to stay in Beacon Hills, but you did. You stayed and you saved my life. You risked your life for me. Why?” Liam demanded, eyes blazing.

“Because I was an ordinary evil.” He answered easily, his tone dangerously calm when he said the words. Liam kept on staring at him, unflinchingly.

“You’re not any kind of evil at all, you idiot. You were a nine year old kid. You were a nine year old kid who was lied to and manipulated and experimented on and twisted. And even so, you not only changed, you wound up saving the lives of the people you were trained to get rid of.”

Theo shook his head. “You’re making excuses for me. Are you really so... so naive? That you’d fall in love with a man who planned your murder five years ago?”

“You can call me any insult you want, trust me, I’ve already thought it at myself right around the time I realised I was into you, but yes, I am absolutely that stupid and naive. Fight me.”

Theo clenched his jaw and shook his head. “You’re stupider than I thought.”

“No, I’m not, you always thought I was this stupid.”

“You’re right.”

They stared each other down for a moment, before Liam cracked a little smile and Theo followed suit.

“You should’ve just let me die in here, Liam. It was nicer than I deserved anyway.”

“You’re right again.” Liam nodded, “Liam in here is too nice. Not enough annoying qualities. Too much happy family. You gotta come back and suffer with me in the real world. Deal with my annoying shit the right way.”

Theo turned on his heel, staring at the photos on the mantle. He picked up the one where Liam proposed, staring at it intently. Then he sighed, put it back down and turned. “Fine. How do we get back?”

*

Liam jerked awake on the couch, fully human again, claws gone, his hands shaking, feeling drained and exhausted. It wasn’t safe. What he just did wasn’t safe. He knew that. But what other option did he have?

He heard Theo’s pained gasp beside him, but he was blocked from seeing him by Corey and Mason, both of whom fussed over him.

“Liam...” He heard the word come from Theo’s lips, husky and exhausted, and he wanted to answer, wanted to grab him and check he was okay. The poison had been draining his life force, it made sense that he was weak. He’d been with Theo nearly a full day in there, but he knew it was likely only ten minutes out here.

He glanced over, and finally got a glimpse of Theo’s face. He was pale, too pale, he looked sickly and weak and had tears in his eyes.

Liam wanted to talk to him. He wanted to talk about what they both said and saw. He wanted to know.

But he couldn’t. He couldn’t ask, he couldn’t face it. Everything he’d seen had taken a deep and painful hold on him and he felt like he might cry and never stop. He had to get the hell out of here. He needed a second, and Corey and Mason would take care of Theo, he knew he could trust them with that.

Exhausted, weak and shaky as he felt, Liam got to his feet, grabbed his keys, and ran out of the room. He heard voices calling after him, but didn’t stop. Didn’t listen. He couldn’t. He needed to go. He needed to be gone.

He got into his car, turned on the ignition and started driving. It took nearly an hour — too long — for Liam to realise where he was going. But of course, where else would he be going?

Beacon Hills was a decent drive away. Like, the kind of drive he probably wasn’t equipped to be doing late in the afternoon after everything he’d been through today. The fight (which Liam hadn’t left unscathed either), the poison world, the confrontation they’d had. Liam was tired. Probably too tired to be driving. But panic and desperation for reprieve from it all kept him going, kept him driving, kept him attentive.

He truly didn’t know who he wanted to talk to. There were options, of course. His parents. Scott. Stiles. They’d all be home by now— they had been going home for Christmas anyway. All those options felt better than staying in that apartment, drenched in guilt, unable to breathe.

Theo had Corey and Mason, he’d be fine. He would be totally fine.

He drove in silence, nothing but the blaring, incessant sound of his own panicky, paranoid inner dialogue for company.

By the time Liam passed the Beacon Hills sign, it was nearing dawn, and he could see birds chirping. It was surely not a good sign that he hadn’t even felt tired enough to stop, but his phone had been switched off the whole drive, which meant he was absolutely going to get punched by someone sometime soon.

When he pulled up at the Stilinski home, he was glad it wasn’t cold enough for snow yet, because frankly, Liam had wondered out in a henley and tracksuit pants and he was not equipped for the cold they had now, let alone snow.

Especially since it had only just gone dawn, and though the sky was an array of inky pinks and oranges and blues. It was too early, and Liam’s eyes were starting to sort of burn now.

He was barely to the front door when it swung open violently and arms flung around him. Stiles was different now, twenty-two and a man, he’d beefed up and was home from Quantico for Christmas break. Still, he somehow managed to be all limb and slightly manic energy. Liam had missed him intensely.

They kept in contact often, though they saw each other every few months if they were lucky. Liam loved Stiles, same as he loved Scott, and it was good to see him. Good to have a friend here.

“So you heard?” Liam managed from inside the bone crushing hug Stiles had him strapped in.

“Um, yah.” Stiles said sarcastically, like it should’ve been obvious, not letting Liam go. “When I’m in Beacon Hills, I am still your father, young man, I hear everything.”

“You’re two years older than me,” Liam groaned.

“Age does not maketh wisdom. I’m your father. Now tell me what the hell happened to you.”

“Can I come sit down first?” Liam asked. “I’m freezing out here.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Stiles stepped aside, letting Liam into the familiar house. Not much had changed really, and Liam was glad. So much had changed. “Come sit. I’ll make you coffee.”

Liam moved to sit, grabbing a blanket off Stiles’ couch and curling up in it. “Is your dad home? Haven’t seen him in forever?”

“Nah, he’s working.” Stiles called back, “He’ll be around for Christmas and New Years celebrations though. He’s excited to see everyone home again.”

Liam smiled warmly, a fondness in his heart for Stiles, for the Sheriff, for Beacon Hills at large.

A moment later, Stiles returned with the coffee. Liam noticed he was wearing pyjamas and frowned, “Tell me you weren’t waiting up on the off that I showed up here...?”

Stiles shrugged, “I already texted the group chat that you showed up here.” He admitted, no trace of shame in his smile. “Everyone was sort of freaking out. I’m sure you’ve got seven billion missed calls.”

Liam sighed. “I just needed time to... think. To recharge. Process.”

“Okay?” Stiles nodded. “Cool. I’d like to say next time call someone but I’ve known you for many years now and am well aware that absolutely will not happen so... Did you think, recharge and process?”

Liam considered that for a moment, then shook his head. “No. I think I just... drove stressfully.”

“Of course you did, tiny walking ball of angst.” Stiles nodded, seeming tired but unsurprised. “So talk to me. You showed up at my door for a reason.”

“Yeah, I guess. How much do you know...?”

“Uh, Theo got taken by a djinn. You did the creepy neck claws to get in his head, you found out his weird mirage place was the two of you having little murder babies and then you woke up and drove off into the night with no warning or concern for your family freaking out about you. sound accurate?”

“Oh.” Liam nodded. “Okay, so you know... You know all the... stuff. Cool. Yeah.” He paused, clearing his throat. “It freaked me out, Stiles.”

“I know, my small atomic son.” Stiles said slowly, always one to add levity to the situation. “It was a lot to see. Can I ask which part specifically freaked you out?”

“All of it...” He said slowly, “But uh... Theo being sick? What the hell was that...?”

Stiles let out a deep breath, nodding. “It’s not really my story to tell, but I got Theo’s okay, so...” He paused, gathering himself, maybe trying to be slightly more sensitive than usual. “Theo was born with a congenital heart defect. When I knew him, he was... sick a lot. Scott and I, we were both sort of nerds. Hard to believe now, with us both being so incredibly hot and cool, but, uh... We were losers. Theo was too. He missed a lot of time from school because he was sick.”

Liam blinked a few times. “So the doctors giving him Tara’s heart...”

“Saved his life, yeah.” Stiles filled in in a serious voice. “There’s, uh, more too.”

He rubbed the back of his neck, maybe trying to figure out his next words. Liam nodded, egging him on. He wanted to understand.

“I didn’t know any of this... Obviously. It took me too long to put the pieces together, and Theo’s confirmation to know I was right but uh... It was hard not to notice the bruises. Even sick as Theo was... it wasn’t normal. His, uh, his parents...” He trailed off for a moment. “They never really stopped blaming him for what it... cost.”

Liam stared at the ground. He tried to temper it. The anger that flared in his stomach. The heartbreak. The longing to find a young Theo and take him away from all of that. Liam had experience with parents like that, he knew what that world was. To know Theo had had that, and the illness, and the doctors... of course he was broken. Liam was too. And Stiles and Scott and everyone else they knew and loved.

“I don’t know what to say...” Liam whispered.

“Well, good, because I’m not done yet.” Stiles broke through his spiralling thoughts, swallowing. “The doctors... they told him that if he worked with them, they could bring his sister back. They said they could keep Theo and Tara from their parents. Theo was a kid. He was full of anger and pain and resentment. He was willing to take the chance to live and to survive. And then all that anger and pain and resentment, it... turned into other shit, y’know? It got twisted into the power-hungry, murderer we know and love today.”

Liam blinked at the ground for a moment, too overwhelmed to be able to find words. “I had no idea.”

“To be fair, no one really did.” Stiles said quietly. “We were so young. I didn’t remember so much of it.” He paused, shrugging, “Theo was just a really, really angry kid.”

“I can relate to that.” Liam said softly.

A few more beats of silence passed between them before Liam spoke again. “Would he have lived this long? If not for...”

“No.” Stiles answered, “I know in his dream think you guys were pushing thirty, but he probably wouldn’t have made it to twenty.”

Liam gulped. “Was I just there because I’m his anchor? Because I’m his roommate?”

Stiles shrugged, “That’s not a question for me, man. But honestly... from my perspective, it doesn’t seem like it. I mean... I’m not sure I’ll ever be Theo’s biggest fan after what he did... to my dad... to all of us, but... he’s changed. That’s been obvious for years. And uh... that change, it clearly came from you, man. You saved his life and he never stopped trying to save you back.” Liam stared into Stiles’ brown eyes. A defence of Theo from Stiles was somewhat unexpected at the best of times. But at five am while drinking coffee in pyjamas, it was especially odd. “I mean, Theo once killed Scott. He’s done terrible things. Now he cooks you bacon every Sunday and calls your mom ‘mom’? You changed him.”

Liam was quiet for a moment, eyes falling to the coffee mug in his hands. “And you? Calling yourself my father, you... would be okay with...?”

Stiles was visibly weighing this question, his eyes up. “Well... it’s not my favourite choice. And I’ll have to warn him several times a week that I’ll kill him if he hurts you — or at least have him arrested — but... it might be nice to know my tiny but grouchy son is with someone who would literally kill to keep him safe.”

"It was just a dream though. He was... stuck, y'know? Poisoned. And I just... I said a lot of shit to get him to believe me that I don't know if I was really ready to say and..." He trailed off. "I don't know. I know all that was... confronting for him, but it was confronting for me too."

Stiles nodded, "I don't think anyone blames you for that, man. We were just all worried sick about you. The whole pack has been sitting up all night and none of us even knew if you were coming. For all we knew, you were driving to Alaska or somethin'."

Liam frowned, "I am sorry for that. I just... didn't want to talk to anyone. I didn't want to... think. Or I did, but not... with someone else watching. I didn't even know where I was really going till I pulled up here. And I'm not really sure why I came here specifically."

Stiles gave him a look, and Liam had the sense he was trying to make him feel better by cracking jokes, though there was really nothing funny about the situation. He'd let his friends worry and he felt guilty about that, but he didn't know how to fix it and frankly, he didn't have the mental capacity at that moment. He'd done enough fixing lately, and it had drained him.

"I don't care why you came here specifically, you gave me bragging rights forever." Stiles said casually, obviously steering into the joke of it all. "Scott will be jealous you came to me and not him," He joked, though even on him, it sounded weak. Not fully thought through.

"I guess I thought you wouldn't give me a sugar coated answer. No one hates Theo more than you. I knew you'd... tell me what you really thought. Or... help me understand what I really thought. Or... something like that." Liam tried to decipher his feelings, to explain them, but it felt like trudging through five feet of snow.

Stiles took a deep breath, looking pained for a moment. "I don't... hate him. Not anymore, anyway. I... am not his biggest fan, I guess. But... I get that he's changed. It's obvious. I'm just... not the most forgiving person, I guess. And maybe I'm a little too paranoid. But... I don't think he's... like he was." Stiles sounded like he was trying to force out words he never wanted to say, and it almost made Liam laugh to hear.

"Now what?" Liam asked tiredly.

"Now, you... go sleep, because you've been driving for way too long. Just... y'don't have to do anything right now, y'know? You've got time, and if you're not ready to discuss or deal with what happened... don't. At some point, something will bend, and you'll... be ready to deal with it. But you don't have to force yourself and deal with it wrong."

Liam nodded slowly, "Yeah. Yeah, okay. Can you tell everyone I'm okay? That I'm just... really tired and it took a lot out of me." Stiles nodded, so Liam added another thought. "Does, um, does everybody know...?"

"That Theo got poisoned and you found out his poison world has the two of you engaged? Yeah. It was sort of necessary to the story Theo needed to tell us to explain why he was so worried about you."

Liam nodded slowly, swallowing. So that was something he'd have to contend with. "Don't worry, kid, nobody's gonna push you to talk about it." He patted Liam on the shoulder comfortingly. "We haven't been through the same shit, but nobody's thinking what you did in there was easy. Spare bed is made up. Go sleep." He said warmly, and Liam was reminded how lucky he was with his friends. With his pack. Even if he wasn't allowed any secrets from them ever.

He leaned forward, pulling Stiles into a hug again. Stiles made an 'aah' sound, straining to protect the coffee in his arms as Liam hugged him. Liam didn't let go though, taking a deep breath. "I missed you," He admitted in a small voice.

Stiles chuckled in his ear, and nodded, "I missed you too, Liam." He patted him on the back, "You've grown up good. Now go sleep before I knock you out with a baseball bat and drag you up there. I'm not supernatural, so I will be banging your head on things."

*

"I mean this in the nicest possible way, but if you don't wake up in under five minutes, I will start banging pots and pans," Stiles said as he stood over Liam's bed. "It's like, five pm. I know you didn't sleep until like, six am, but you're going to miss dinner with the pack if you don't get up."  
Liam just groaned, putting the pillow over his head.

"Mason, Corey and Theo aren't coming for a few days, so it'll just be you, me, Scott, Malia, Lydia, Derek, Kira. Like old times. I will drag you out of this bed, you don't scare me." Stiles sighed, slapping Liam's exposed calf.

Liam growled, as threateningly as he could manage.

"Nice try, firecracker, but you haven't been frightening since I realised you were five feet of awkward puppy energy."

"Fuck you, I'm scary." Liam grumbled, but he was too tired to even open his eyes, so it was probably fair of Stiles not to be scared of him.

"Okay, big boy. Get up. We're going to get Chinese food. You love Chinese food."

When Liam still didn't budge, Stiles paced around the room, thinking of better threats.

"Wait, I got it." He said quickly. "If I can't get you up, do you know what's going to happen? Malia's going to come in here and get you. And do you know how Malia will get you up?" Liam didn't even have to look to hear the smirk in his voice.

"Okay, fine, fine, I'm getting up."

He rolled sideways out of the bed onto the floor in a heap, before pulling himself to his feet.

"I didn't bring clothes." Liam realised with a grumble.

"You can borrow something of mine. Go have a shower, I'll leave some clothes by the door."

*

Malia shoved Scott aside to hug Liam first. He couldn't help but laugh, and he saw over Malia's shoulder that Stiles patted Scott reassuringly on the shoulder. Still, Malia's hug was crushing and Liam couldn't help but laugh. She was like a big sister to him, and honestly, that had only become more true over the years. They kept in contact a lot, and had FaceTimes nearly every third day at this point.

"Good to see you, asshole." Malia said with warmth in her voice. "Can't believe you went to Stiles before me."

Liam shrugged, "It was five am, I was sleep deprived."

"Oi, no take backs, you came to me first." Stiles called out in the background.

"So... Raeken." Malia said with raised brows.

"Stiles, you promised me no one would question me."

Stiles shrugged, "I don't control her. You know that."

"Yup." Liam said flatly, looking back at Malia. "Say whatever you gotta say."

"Nah," Malia shrugged, "I get it. He's pretty, if nothing else."

Liam just sighed and blinked. It was going to be a long evening, apparently.  
Some time later -- too long later -- the group were seated around a round table, with food being placed in front of them. Everyone was chatting, reminiscing, catching up. It was the core group, Liam realised, those of them that had been there since the beginning. Or, well, almost. Because really only Stiles and Scott had been together at the beginning-beginning. But they had become the pack together first, before they had so many new arrivals.

"You literally kidnapped me!" Liam exploded, but they were all laughing, Liam included. "You can't talk about me being an asshole to you without acknowledging that part of it. You kidnapped me and duct taped my mouth in a bathtub. Then you and Stiles stood over me and planned what to do. And then when I did listen to you, you kidnapped me again."

"You were still a little asshole." Stiles cut in. "A valid asshole, maybe, but an asshole nonetheless. We were trying to save you from yourself!"

"Kidnapped me." Liam said slowly, spelling the words out like Stiles couldn't understand what he was saying. "And Scott was so freaking weird about it." He mocked Scott's voice, "We're brothers now. The bite is a gift."

Derek jumped in, laughing, something Liam wasn't sure he'd ever actually seen before. "You stole my lines? Scott, you're nowhere near cool enough to pull that off."

"I know that now!" Scott defended, and the group kept laughing.

The conversation went on, and they all kept laughing. "To be fair," Stiles began, "I was right. I'm usually right."

"Being right doesn't make you less annoying." Malia answered back, full of snark.

And then, a few minutes later, "Okay, yeah, but in fairness, it was the right call. We would've been fucked without him." Liam argued, holding his hands up at his sides.

"Sure, yeah," Kira said with a laugh, "But you had just promised to protect my sword and then you went and broke it without asking anyone. I don't even know where all the pieces are now."

Liam raised his brows in a shrug. He wouldn't have felt comfortable with that sword still around, and he was sure Theo wouldn't either, but he wasn't going to say that.

"You also had no idea it was going to work." Derek said with a shrug.

"Excuse you all, but he was the only one who remembered Stiles, which actually was very helpful. Also, the reason I survived long enough to help figure it out. Also the reason I didn't die like, at least three separate times with Monroe's army." Liam defended, shaking his head.

"Yeah, okay, in hindsight, you were right. But we didn't know you were going to be." Lydia laughed.

"I'm sorry, all I heard was that I was right."

There was a moment of silence and Liam regretted jumping in with a defence of why he'd broken the sword. He knew what he'd done. He'd opened the door to talking about Theo.

"So how are you feeling...? Since yesterday?" Kira asked, the most sensitive of the group.

"Was that really yesterday?" Liam repeated with a groan, "It feels like about a month ago. How fucking long did I sleep again?"

Nobody answered him, they all just kept looking at him with those stupid concerned expression. And Liam appreciated it, he really did. He knew he was sort of the baby of the group in a way, the last to join, the youngest, often times the most reckless in his youth. But he still didn't like being looked at like that.

"I'm fine. Really. I'm just... tired and overwhelmed."

"So... not fine," Derek filled in, giving Liam the same look he was used to receiving from Mason, Theo and Stiles. The 'stop being so stupid' look.

Liam frowned, "Why? What did I do to you to make you call me out?" He asked, only partly joking.

"We're worried about you." Scott answered, eyes on him.

"You know, I actually don't need forty-seven parents, thank you though."

“Liam...” Scott sighed.

“Okay, yeah. This is weird to talk about in a group, but uh... yeah, it was a lot. I don’t know what to make of any of it, really. I still don’t know what to think. I’m just... tired and scared,” He said finally. “And I know I need to have a conversation, I’m just... not ready yet.”

No one stopped looking worried, but they let the conversation move on and Liam allowed himself to zone out for a moment, to get lost in his own mind.

Lost in thinking about the past four years. About his and Theo’s endless movie nights. About the millions of inside jokes they’d accumulated. About how they had elected to take most of their classes together throughout college except for when they had separate ones for their individual goals after college.

He got lost in thinking about how the four of them went to trivia nights together, and how they slowly realised that Theo sort of sucked at pop culture trivia because he'd spent so many years stuck in those sewers with the doctors.

He got lost thinking about how he and Theo had gone together to buy a bed frame and a mattress, sheets. Things Theo hadn't had of his own since he was nine years old.

He got lost thinking about the years of friendship that led to this point. The random birthday presents and failed cooking lessons and awkward dinners with Liam's parents and supernatural incidents and nearly dying. All the shit that brought them together. At a point, it had been only ever about survival. At a point, they had protected each others' backs, and that was the extent of their friendship. Years passed, things changed, and now, rather than survival being the foundation of their friendship, trust was. Real, actual trust. Their relationship had become a thing of depth. He felt safe with Theo now.

He could spend the rest of his life painstakingly analysing it all if he tried. Every Wednesday evening before a big test where the two stayed up talking because they both had nightmares. Every Sunday morning eating bacon and bickering about who was better at what subjects. Every midday Monday, where they'd both had no classes at the same time, meeting at the same lunch spot and discussing their days so far. Every time Liam or Theo had come home from a shitty date and they'd played video games and jokingly recited that they were just going to stay single forever.

But analysing it didn't really help him. He knew the only thing that would give his frantic mind any clarity was talking to Theo about what happened in there. The photos. The conversations. The fact that they'd each said they loved each other. The fact that Theo had been poisoned, and Liam had no way of knowing whether it was true or not until he talked to Theo face to face.

Right now, their relationship was some sick Schroedinger's cat. It wasn't really real right now, but neither could it be taken from him. He wasn't ready to face the music. He wasn't ready to potentially lose Theo, and all that hope, in one fell swoop.

The dinner wrapped up, and honestly, Liam was glad he'd been there for it. He normally would've missed it, because his plan was originally to come back with Mason, Corey and Theo, but now he had a bit of extra time to think and to process. He felt guilty about leaving Theo without the conversation, but he figured maybe he needed to wait and think too.

Still, when his phone switched on, for the first time since before the poisoning, his phone seemed to buzz for an inordinate amount of time.

He barely looked, waiting for all the messages and missed call notifications to finish downloading before he went through any of it, somewhat afraid of what he was going to see.

When he finally did, he sort of regretted it. Five or more missed calls from all of his friends, save for Theo. No missed calls from Theo.

He had a long string of texts too.

Mase, received at 5:15pm: Dude, where are you?? We’re all worried sick.   
Mase, received at 5:30pm: I know you went through a lot in there, but so did Theo, and he needs you   
Mase, received at 6:12pm: Liam, where are you going?? please tell me you’re not driving home alone late at night  
Mase, received at 8:48pm: li, theo’s panicked. He thinks he scared you off...  
Mase, received at 10:01pm: please at least stop for the night.   
Mase, received at 11:50pm: i’m worried sick about you, man...   
Mase, received at 1:32am: we’ve got to sleep... i’ve called you like 20 times, i’m guessing you’re not gonna answer. i’m worried. call me.  
Mase, received at 7:12am: stiles said youre with him. give me a call when you’re up to it...

He had similar sets from Corey, at slightly different times and following a slightly different tone.

Scott, received at 5:30pm: I just spoke to Mason and Corey. Where are you going? Are you okay? Do you need me to come get you?  
Scott, received at 6.47pm: hey, if you’re driving to beacon hills, pls stop somewhere for the night. we’ll be here when you get up  
Scott, received at 9:28pm: All of us are at home. We’ll all be here if you wanna come to us. promise.

Malia, received at 11:39pm: hey, man, i heard about what happened. if you want to talk, my door’s open. maybe call the others, they’re losing their minds

The list went on. Liam read them all, guilt building to an overwhelming point in his stomach.

Finally, he found the one he was looking for.

Theo, received at 4:13am: I’m going to stay home for Christmas this year. I’m here if you need to talk. Thank you for saving me. Be safe.

The guilt ached and burned his chest and Liam felt desperately guilty. How? How was this Theo? The same Theo who had manipulated and lied to him. The same Theo who knocked him out in the zoo so he wouldn’t get hurt. The same one who had pinned him to a wall when he first came back from Hell. Theo had been through so much, and he’s been violent, distrustful, outwardly selfish and rude.

Now, he was a young man sending his best friend a single text at 4am, because his best friend ran away after things got a little too real.

Liam loved Theo. Liam loved him for all he was. He loved him for the worst parts, for the dark and the light. He understood Theo’s power trip for what it was— a broken child desperate for independence and safety. He loved him for the moments when he called Liam a moron and slapped him teasingly upside the head and for the moments laying in bed in the middle of the night, listening to the rain and trading secrets in hushed voices.

Of course he loved him. He would wager he’d loved him far longer than he’d even realised. But that love didn’t change the complication. The question of whether Liam could be enough. The question of whether Theo really loved Liam or just wanted love. The question of whether or not they could risk their friendship for whatever this might be.

He stared at the phone and willed himself to have a good answer. Instead he wrote. ‘Are you sure? You’ve stayed with my parents every Christmas for five years. You’ll be missed.’

One thing Liam always admired about Theo was read receipts. He’d once pointed it out to Theo, expecting him to not have realised, but instead Theo looked him directly in the eye and said, “I know. If I’m ignoring someone, I want them to know.”

It was ballsy, and Liam admired it, because he was the total opposite. Even so, in this instance, it was awkward.

He watched the text go from delivered to read, stared at it intently. Come on, Theo, he whispered to himself. Use your beautiful hands and text me back. Not that he had any right to want that— Liam had run off on Theo, no answers, no comfort, no nothing.

It was an hour of later than Theo answered. ‘I’m sure. we clearly both need time.’

Something in Liam’s heart broke. ‘I miss you already.’ He texted back. Fuck trying to be civil, Liam couldn’t handle that. He couldn’t lose Theo by trying not to lose him. So he added, ‘I’m sorry I ran off. I panicked.’

Read.

‘I’m sorry I put you in that position. I don’t want you to feel pressured.’

Another few minutes passed before his phone buzzed again, “I miss you too.’

This wasn’t where they should be discussing this, but Liam felt like he was being magnetically drawn back to Theo. ‘I don’t feel pressured. Just scared. I don’t understand.’

There was a gap that Liam hated. It made his anxiety bubble up, his paranoia. He loved Theo, because Theo had given him every reason to. Despite all the bad, Theo had chosen to help him. Chosen to save him. Chosen to be kind to him. Theo had chosen to change. And Liam adored him for it. He wished he could just say all that. Although, truthfully, he sort of had while Theo had been poisoned.

'I'm sorry. Merry Christmas, Liam.'

Sorry? What the fuck did sorry mean? Was Theo sorry because he'd given Liam the wrong idea? Was he sorry because he thought Liam didn't feel the same way? Was he sorry because it had been a lot emotionally either way? Was he sorry for not coming to Christmas?

Liam stared at the phone a moment longer, before he picked it up and called Mason, figuring he needed to figure out what was going on, and Mason and Corey had been there after he left. No one else had. Plus, he genuinely did feel guilty for not telling Mason what was going on with him.

"He lives." Mason said sarcastically, and Liam winced.

"I'm sorry." Liam answered quickly, "I shouldn't have just... dipped like that. I was just really overwhelmed and I needed to be by myself. And I couldn't check my phone while I was driving anyway."

Liam could hear a deep sigh from the other end of the phone. "It's... it's fine, it's just..." He broke off for a moment, seemingly collecting himself. "We've been best friends since we were little, little kids. I know you're not always... great at... mitigating your feelings. I was worried you were going to have an episode and nobody was going to be around to help you. I know how you can be when... you take that anger out on yourself."

Guilt hit him like a ton of bricks. Of course Mason knew. Mason knew better than anyone. Not just about the IED, but about how bad it could be. When he was isolated, when that anger was directed inwards, he had even less of an ability to self-regulate it, because all that hate, all that rage, it was his. He swallowed it down into himself and let it colour him. That IED had always been characterised by the guilt he felt after. The crushing, debilitating, suffocating guilt. But that was when he hurt someone else. When it was himself, that guilt became about being a burden on others. About just hating himself. Mason knew, because Mason was one of the few people Liam had ever really let in on this.

"I'm so sorry." He said slowly, because of course Mason was worried, and Liam really should've been more considerate of that. "I didn't think."

"No, it's fine." Mason said quickly, "I wasn't mad at you, I was worried about you. I'm still worried about you."

Liam frowned, but he knew that was a valid place to be at-- he was sort of worried about everything, so he wasn't surprised that Mason was too.

"How are you doing now?" Mason asked slowly, and Liam thought maybe he was trying to be softer now after Liam had immediately apologised. Frankly, Liam was usually one to argue, try to brush it off or defend himself, but he didn't have either the energy or the disposition to argue with anyone today, plus, Mason was right.

"I don't know." He admitted slowly, "I think I'm better... Theo...?"

"Not great." Mason admitted, his voice getting quieter. "He's refusing to come back with us..."

"Yeah, he texted me that too..." He paused, "Do you know why...?"

Another deep breath, Liam was getting tired of all this. He was going to have to go back and fix it, obviously. "He hasn't specifically said, no. If I had to guess, honestly, I think he thinks he's fucked things up with you. Because of the way you... found out about everything."

"What did I find out though? I mean, yeah, I saw all that, but... I don't know if it was even really about me or if I was just transplanted in place of the life he really wants, y'know? And I don't want to assume that because of what I saw..."

"Liam, I love you. You're my best friend in the world. You mean everything to me. But you're so stupid sometimes."

Liam swallowed heavily, "Theo... Theo's been through a lot, Mason. He never got a normal childhood, he never got to make any choices. He's been to hell, he lives with so much guilt and I just... I have no right to assume. I have no right to put any of that shit on him if it's not what he really wants and... I'm not presumptuous enough to assume that--"

"I get what you're saying," Mason cut in, "And it's honourable, really. But Liam, come on. You're right. He's been through hell. He did shit things to you -- to all of us -- and he clearly never got over any of it. That's a whole other issue to unpack. But none of that factors into your relationship. None of it factors into the amount of times I've found the two of you asleep in each others' arms on the couch after falling asleep playing games. None of that accounts for the late nights helping each other study for tests you don't have yourself. Or for all the times you've painted your entire face for his football games and turned up early to scream for him. Or for the fact that my lab partner for one of my classes refers to you two as 'my hot roommate boyfriends'. For all the Sunday morning karaoke sessions you two do so loudly in the kitchen. It doesn't account for the fact that you made him human again. You weren't in that place because he filled you in, you're in that place because you're his person. His anchor. Because you're each other's. It wasn't just a random face, Liam, it was you. Specifically you. I think you know that. I think you're just too scared to face it."

Mason had always had a way of smacking Liam in the fact with his logic. He was right, because he was Mason, and he was always right. But how the hell did Liam face that? It seemed so... ludicrous. The two of them together. They had been so close to it anyway-- so close to belonging to each other. But before, it had been this unspoken, accidental thing. It was out there now, which meant everything would change. And if everything changed, Liam risked losing Theo. Really, properly losing him. If it didn't work out, what happened then?

Liam must have gone too long without speaking, because Mason spoke again.

"Not everyone leaves you, Liam. I haven't. Corey hasn't. Scott, Stiles, Malia, Kira, Lydia, Derek... Theo. I know... I know what you're thinking. That he's going to leave you. Don't ruin something great before it even happens out of fear."

Liam just blinked. He might've been actually tempted to get really mad, just out of sheer grumpiness that Mason could still read him like a book even through the phone, but instead, he managed a quiet whisper. "And what if he does? Then what?"

"It's not going to happen." Mason answered, "But... if it does, I'm here. Your pack will still be here-- your family. What's more, I think... you need to be careful. I know you don't want to lose Theo because of all this, but... if you push him away after witnessing something so... intimate, I think you might lose him anyway."

"Okay... have you left yet?"

"Uh, no, we're about to pack the car. Why...?"

"I need a favour."

*

This was stupid. This was so stupid. He needed to re-think this plan. He needed a new plan. He needed to stop being such an idiot, to stop always making the dumbest possible decisions... but hey, would he really be Liam Dunbar if he thought something through before jumping into it?

He'd been in the car for a good few hours before his brain stopped enough to remind him of several things. He hadn't told anyone he was leaving, for starters. Except Mason, and he figured Mason could tell the rest of them (running into things half cocked was always his MO anyway).

Then there was the fact that he was now making this drive for the second time in a few days and nobody really knew what to do with that. He was meant to be there for Christmas, but he had no clothes with him, his presents were in his college dorm and he'd really planned absolutely nothing about this out.

He liked to think he got that trait from Scott and Stiles, because it was easier than just acknowledging that he was maybe a bit of an idiot at times.

By the time he was nearly back, he was starting to really panic. Everything could go so wrong. Mason could be wrong. He could have misinterpreted their relationship. Theo could say he didn't want anything to change or that Liam had already done the damage, that there was no going back. They were already halfway there though. They couldn't go back. Neither of them could un-hear or un-see what they saw in that world. Liam figured... if anyone deserved a rom-com moment, it was Theo. So, he was going to try to give him that. Or... something. He wasn't much for gestures.

When he got there, he checked their apartment first. Nothing. That would be his luck.  
Then their common room. Nothing. Also his luck.

He only had one other option besides Theo just running off somewhere, which was entirely possible. But, sadly, he was pretty sure he knew where Theo was.

When he walked into the library wearing only underwear and Theo's football jersey, he knew he may as well just pack it all in now and move to Alaska and change his name. It would be far safer than what he was doing now-- and he was already nearly dying of embarrassment.

He cleared his throat when he got to the table where Theo was sitting, wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt, probably doing readings that he didn't have to do until after Christmas anyway. He was too good a student, it unsettled Liam, who did shit like this on their campus and just hoped he wouldn't get expelled.

Theo glanced up and before he could speak, Liam jumped right into his plan. Loudly -- and badly -- Liam began to sing. "I think I love you, so what am I so afraid of? I'm afraid that I'm not sure of a love that there's no cure for! I think I love you, isn't that what life was made of? Though it worries me to say that I have never felt this way!"

Liam was no singer, and it was obvious probably now more than ever. He was also, technically, not wearing pants, so his embarrassment was up about as high as it was capable of going, but hell... He was shooting his shot. Whatever the fuck that meant. Theo had been forced into vulnerability he probably didn't want, and Liam had run. So, if nothing else, Liam felt like he was evening the playing field. After all, nobody but him had seen what Theo's poison world had been. Now, however, they were in a relatively busy library. Everyone, absolutely everyone, would know. He was pretty sure people had been recording. He could feel a few flashes on him even once he finished.

If Theo didn't appreciate this, Liam was just going to have to dye his hair, move to another country and change his name.

Liam was still just standing there, and Theo wasn't saying a word, and Liam wondered if it was more embarrassing to keep standing here or to run off as if nothing had ever happened?

He didn't wonder for long though, because Theo got up from his chair, pushing away from the table and moving quickly around the desk towards Liam. Liam had no idea what to expect, and he half thought Theo might punch him, but instead, he felt one of Theo's hands on the back of his neck, pulling him into a long-awaited and hard-earned kiss.

Liam went easily, his hands resting thoughtlessly on Theo's hips, letting the older boy take the lead. And lead he did. Theo kissed him like he'd been waiting a lifetime to do it; maybe in a sense he had. All of Liam's embarrassment melted away into nothing, leaving only him and Theo, pressed against each other, holding onto each other like at any moment it might all be ripped away. Like maybe this wasn't real either. Frankly, Liam didn't care anymore whether it was real or fake, he'd do anything to stay here, to stay in Theo's arms, even if it meant losing any remaining dignity he had.

Only when somebody wolf whistled loudly did the two break apart, Liam breathless and red faced, Theo grinning so bright Liam wondered how he had once believed the boy to be totally emotionless. He had long since dispelled those notions, but this was something else again. This wasn't just Theo being thoughtful or excited or normal in some other way. This was joy. Proper, actual joy. If it was Liam who had inspired that in him, he must be doing something right. And maybe that meant everything else was worth it too.

Theo was trying to speak, but Liam could barely make anything out through the bubbling laughter. Liam wasn't sure he'd ever seen Theo laugh like that, so open and unreserved, but it was impossible to resist laughing along with him.

Finally, Theo composed himself enough to ask, still holding onto Liam tightly, tears of laughter beginning to escape his eyes, "How did you even get my football jersey?"

"Mason." Liam said, as if that explained everything, obviously.

"I love you so fucking much, you little loser." Theo was still laughing as he spoke, and Liam felt like his heart might explode where he stood.

"Thank god." Liam answered, laughing along with him, "This would be super awkward if you didn't. Like... I can't undo this. This is who I am now. I'm the guy who confessed his love to someone else in a football jersey and no pants in the library at Christmas. By singing the Partridge Family. There's no going back from that. That is my legacy now."

Theo seemed to only just notice that he was wearing a football jersey and no pants. Or at least, to only just really process what that meant. "Oh my god, Liam, it's December, you must be fucking freezing. Idiot." Normally, that would annoy Liam, but he said it in such a fond, loving way that Liam really wasn't sure he could be mad, even if he tried.

Now that Theo mentioned it, Liam was freezing.

Theo pulled a jacket off the back of his chair and handed it to Liam, who wrapped it around himself gratefully. "Can we go home now?" Liam asked, his teeth beginning to chatter. Nervous energy could only get him so far, and now that it had worked, adrenaline was beginning to wear off. Leaving him standing in a library in his underwear in winter.

"Yes. Yes, absolutely. You're not taking this jersey off though." Theo said, his eyes twinkling as he gathered his things and ushered Liam out of the library.


End file.
